Calamine Lotion
by Banana Belle
Summary: It is the sequel to my first Ross family story. In chapter six, Kate's find will change their lives.
1. Drip Drop

This is a squeal to "A Week with the Ross'", but it can be understood on its own. Unlike "A Week…" this won't be limited to seven days. Going by my current track record, it could be awhile between updates. Thanks to everyone for your support with "A Week…". I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this one.

* * *

"Kate, do you want to go outside?" Meg asked as she watched her sister defeat a giant frog on the computer.   
  
"It's raining," Kate replied not looking away from her character's victory dance.  
  
"Exactly," Meg told her.  
  
Kate couldn't stop herself from smiling.  
  
"Sure, you know what would be really fun?" Kate asked.  
  
"What?" Meg questioned.  
  
"We put on bathing suits and go puddle diving," Kate suggested.   
  
"Yes, come on," Meg said pulling Kate's arm away from the computer.   
  
Minutes later, Kate and Meg were standing under the covered porch watching the sheets of rain hit the ground.  
  
Meg looked over at her sister and said, "Race you."  
  
They sprinted out from under the porch and let the icy rain prick their skin.   
  
"This is freezing," Kate yelled.  
  
"I know," Meg shouted back gleefully.  
  
Ten minutes later, Doug saw two small forms dancing on the sidewalk was he approached his house. He couldn't believe how these kids' parents just let them run around the neighborhood. He slowed to pull into his driveway and noticed the two forms were very familiar.   
  
With the window rolled down, he shouted, "Get inside now!"  
  
Meg and Kate ran into the house and to their respective rooms to change. Doug stood in the kitchen waiting for either of his darling children to appear. Realizing they had more than adequate time the get dressed, he walked over to the staircase. He spotted Kate and advised her to join him.  
  
Kate sheepishly came downstairs.  
  
"What were you thinking?" he demanded.  
  
"We were bored. It has been raining none stop for a week," Kate explained.  
  
"What about your sister's arm?" Doug questioned.  
  
"That's her business," she stated.   
  
"Your older than Meg. You need to look out for her," he lectured.   
  
"I forgot, all right," Kate admitted.  
  
"Well, you picked the wrong day. Ms. Davis is coming over to see our house today," he told her.  
  
"How was I supposed to know the foster kid lady was coming over?" Kate asked.  
  
"You weren't, but splashing around in the street half dressed is not exactly the image we were going for," Doug said. "Are you trying to sabotage this?"   
  
"Yeah, that's it. In addition to wanting Meg to bust her arm up again, I decided to run around the neighborhood naked to stop you from bringing a foster kid here," she replied.   
  
"I've had enough of your insolence," Doug told her.   
  
"I don't even know what that means," Kate mumbled.  
  
Doug turned away from her and yelled for Meg.  
  
"What?" Meg asked innocently.   
  
"Don't even try that, Miss Meg," he said. "You're supposed to be wearing the arm brace not running around without it."  
  
"It itches," Meg replied.   
  
"That's not an excuse. Go put it on," Doug told her.  
  
Kate watched this conversation with her arms folded. "You couldn't possibly yell at the little princess," she said.  
  
He couldn't take it anymore. "I AM SICK OF YOUR ATTITUDE!" he yelled.   
  
"I hate you. You are such a jerk," Kate told him turning to run to her room.  
  
Doug stopped her by grabbing her wrist.  
  
"Let me go," Kate screamed.   
  
"Not until you tell me why I'm always the bad guy," he told her.  
  
"You don't even listen to me," Kate said between sobs.   
  
"How so?" he asked.  
  
"This. Today. Immediately, it's all my fault. Okay, I should have used better judgment, but you act like I was teaching Meg how to juggle butcher knifes," she explained.   
  
Doug thought for a minute and released his grasp of Kate's wrist. Kate wasted no time hurrying off to her room.   
  
Doug and Meg greeted Ms. Davis a half hour later as Carol and Tess had yet to return from the basketball game Tess was cheerleading at.   
  
"Please come in," Doug told her.  
  
Ms. Davis immediately caught sight of Meg's braced arm.  
  
"What happened to that, dear?" Ms. Davis questioned Meg.  
  
"I fell," Meg replied.   
  
"How?" Ms. Davis continued her interrogation.  
  
"I slipped off the shelf in the basement onto the floor," Meg explained.   
  
"Where were your parents?" Ms. Davis asked.  
  
"Upstairs," Meg told her wondering when this lady would leave her alone.  
  
"Why don't we go talk in the kitchen until my wife gets home," Doug suggested.   
  
"Sorry, we're late the game went into to overtime," Carol explained as she and a rather tired looking Tess made their entrance a half hour later.   
  
"No problem," Ms. Davis. "Your husband and I were just discussing the importance of family togetherness."  
  
Tess gave her mother a confused look having not been told of Ms. Davis or the reason for her visit.   
  
"Tess, why don't you go take a shower," Carol suggested.   
  
Tess eagerly made her exit and went to ask one of her sisters about the guest.   
  
"So, Mrs. Ross, it says here you're a nurse," Ms. Davis said.  
  
"Actually it's Hathaway-Ross, and yes, I am a nurse," Carol replied already disliking this woman.  
  
"That's a very demanding job. How do expect to care for a preschooler and your other three children?" Ms. Davis asked saying the word children as if she had just taken a swig of vinegar.   
  
"I work at a clinic with regular hours," Carol replied as politely as possible.   
  
"Yes, I can read," Ms. Davis told her.  
  
"Did you ask Doug about his schedule?" Carol questioned.  
  
"No, I didn't need to," Ms. Davis answered.   
  
"That's strange because his hours are more irregular than mine. And how many hours are you on call a week?" Carol asked him.  
  
Doug finally realized that something was going on between Carol and Ms. Davis.   
  
"It varies," he said. "It's almost Meg's bedtime. Why don't we show you around the house, and we can finish the questioning afterward."  
  
"I don't have any more questions," Ms. Davis said.  
  
"Doug and I have some questions," Carol explained.   
  
"Yes, well why don't we do that," Ms. Davis replied.   
  
About an hour later, Carol closed the front door behind Ms. Davis and said, "How stinging can one person be?"   
  
"Obviously with our observation of Ms. Davis pretty as you said stinging," Doug told her.   
  
"More like she has a stick up her ass," Carol corrected.   
  
"Or that," he added with a smile.   
  
"So how bad of a report do you think she is going to give our home?" Carol asked.  
  
"Well, I believe it went downhill after you blasted her for her remarks about the dark green color of Kate's room being a cry for help," Doug answered.   
  
"She was here to see if we were acceptable foster parents not tell us how bad our own kids are turning out," she told him.   
  
"I agree that was uncalled for. Now, if only we could have coached the girls ahead of time. Kate could have been performing a ritual sacrifice, I could have slapped a few more braces on Megs other appendages, and Tess should have paraded in on the arm of her new live-in biker boyfriend," Doug said. 


	2. Simple Plans

"_I'm like a flower about to bloom_," Tess' MP3 player sang.  
  
"What new pop sensation are we being subjected to this week?" Kate asked from the hallway.   
  
"Kaylee-Anne-Marie," Tess answered as she tossed another shirt out of her closet and on to the floor.  
  
"That has to be the stupidest name I have heard," Kate commented.   
  
"I'm going to her concert on Saturday," Tess told her sister.  
  
"Mom and Dad are letting you go?" Kate questioned.   
  
"No, but that's never stopped you," Tess replied.  
  
"I'd never thought I would see this day," Kate said."I'm so proud."   
  
"Come in and close the door in case Mom comes home," Tess ordered.   
  
Once she had closed the door, Kate asked, "So what's the plan?"   
  
"That's where you come in," Tess explained. "The concert is on the other side of town so we have to take the bus from the mall."  
  
"What does this have to do with me?" Kate questioned.  
  
"We decided to say the mall is having a teen night, and I need you to tell Mom and Dad you heard about it too," Tess continued.   
  
"That isn't out of character for me," Kate replied. "No problem."  
  
"You're the best," Tess jumping up to give Kate a hug.  
  
"Turn that whining off before I resort to violence," Kate told her.   
  
Tess turned the music off at sat down next to her sister. "Truth or dare?" Tess asked.  
  
"That game is stupid," Kate replied.   
  
"Truth or dare?" Tess asked again.  
  
"Truth," Kate told her.  
  
"Have you ever done drugs if so what ones?" Tess questioned.   
  
"You're dumb, but yes, once. And none of your business," Kate said.  
  
"You have to answer. No, I don't," Kate said as she slammed Tess' door.   
  
Across town, Meg waited outside the school with a few other students waiting for their rides. A short blond girl approached Meg and said, "Hi, Meg!"  
  
"Hi, Jenna," Meg replied.  
  
"Did you get an invitation to Kirsten's birthday party?" Jenna asked.  
  
"Yeah," Meg answered.   
  
"You aren't going are you?" Jenna questioned.  
  
"I want to go," Meg told her.  
  
"Oh well, I someone say that Kirsten only invited you because you're rich," Jenna stated.   
  
"What?" Meg questioned.  
  
"You're rich, and everyone knows rich kids give the best presents," Jenna explained.   
  
Meg thought about this until she saw Carol pull into the parking lot. She quickly remembered to pull her brace out of her backpack and put it on before she got in the car.   
  
"Are we rich?" Meg asked as Carol parked the car outside their house.   
  
"Your father and I both have well paying jobs," Carol told her.  
  
"But are we rich?" Meg asked again.   
  
"Meg, why are you asking?" Carol questioned.   
  
"Well, Jenna said the only reason Kirsten invited me to her birthday party was because I'm rich, and I would get Kirsten a good present," Meg replied.  
  
"Could Jenna have been lying?" Carol asked as she opened her door.  
  
"Maybe, I don't know," Meg answered taking of her seatbelt.   
  
"Mom, phone!" Tess screamed from her room a few moments after Carol and Meg had entered the house.   
  
Carol walked to the nearest phone and said, "Hello."  
  
"Mrs. Ross, this Ms. Davis," the voice responded.  
  
"We've been waiting to hear from you," Carol told her.  
  
"Yes, I do have good news. You have been approved, and we will try to place Andrew with you as soon as possible," Ms. Davis said.  
  
"Really? I mean that is wonderful," Carol replied.   
  
"I'll be in contact with you," Ms. Davis told her before hanging up.   
  
Carol immediately called Doug at work to tell him the news. He decided to leave an hour early to enjoy a celebratory dinner with his family.   
  
"Yahoo, take-out Chinese food," Kate said when she noticed the white cartons on the table.  
  
"Shut up, Kate," Tess told her twin as she set the table.  
  
Kate shoved her, and Tess knocked over the sweet and sour chicken.  
  
"Look it's all over now," Tess whined.  
  
"Somebody call a wahmbulance," Kate said.  
  
Tess glared at her but refused to let Kate know she was getting to her. Soon the rest of the family joined them.  
  
"Why is there chicken all over the table?" Carol asked.  
  
"Tess, couldn't wait until dinner to feed her fat…" Kate began to say.  
  
"Hey, " Doug snapped.   
  
Kate knew she'd better stop unless she wanted to spend her weekend scrubbing the floors.   
  
"We're only having nice conversations this evening," Doug told them.  
  
Kate rolled her eyes and attacked an egg roll.   
  
"I got an A on my spelling test," Meg announced.  
  
"That's great, sweetheart," Carol told her.  
  
"So when is Andrew coming?" Tess asked.  
  
"Hopefully Monday," Doug replied.   
  
"Where is he going to sleep?" Tess questioned.   
  
"Any new suggestions?" Carol asked the girls.  
  
Tess and Meg shrugged, but Kate suggested they relocate Tess to the garage. After dinner, Tess went to call her friends, Meg was attacking an alien planet on the computer, and Kate was coming up with a plan.   
  
"I volunteer to give up my room," Kate announced later that evening.   
  
Doug and Carol looked at her with surprise and suspicion. They had been trying for days to get two of their daughters to move into together.  
  
"If I get to move to the basement," Kate continued.   
  
"I don't know about that," Carol said.  
  
"Think about. It's perfect. See Tess and Meg's rooms are girly colors so you'd have to paint the walls eventually," Kate told them. "My room is green. You wouldn't have to pick up a paintbrush for years."  
  
"What is so attractive about the basement?" Doug questioned.   
  
"I'd have more privacy," Kate replied.  
  
"Until laundry day," Carol told her.  
  
"I think of the laundry room as a plus," Kate said. "I wouldn't have to carry my dirty clothes very far."  
  
"Kate, it's late. We'll talk to over and let you know tomorrow," Carol responded.   
  
Kate took the hint and walked part way up the stairs before creeping back down to listen to their conversation.   
  
"So what do you think?" Doug asked after he heard Kate go upstairs.   
  
"Not going to happen," Carol answered.   
  
"Come on at least she offered. We have been trying to come up with a solution and moving or adding on is not going to happen in the near future," he said.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this," she told him, "but I'll give in as a temporary measure."   
  
Thanks for all the encouragement and ideas. I will say I usually throw in a little craziness in the most unexpected places. But that's all you're getting out of me. Muhaha! I'm really happy with this story which is more than I can say about some of my other stories. Hope to read your reviews soon! 


	3. Frosting It

"All right, here is game plan," Carol announced as the family ate their breakfast at the table. "Kate will be in charge of moving her stuff to the basement, and Meg will be assisting. Kate, if you want to keep any of your furniture let me know, and I'll help Dad move later."  
  
"Keep any of my furniture? Where would I put my stuff if I didn't keep it?" Kate questioned.  
  
"We have to buy some new pieces either way. I figured I'd give you the choice," Carol explained.   
  
"No fair!" Tess called out.  
  
"You could have given up your room," Kate told her.  
  
Tess glared at her sister.  
  
"Actually, Tess, you may get something new anyway," Carol said.  
  
"What?" Tess asked eagerly.  
  
"Bed. I think it would be a good idea to have two beds in the room in case we have to have an emergency placement," Carol explained. That seemed to satisfy Tess, and Carol continued her assignments.   
  
Carol spent the rest of the weekend giving orders. By Sunday afternoon, Tess, Kate, and Meg had enough. All three were sitting on the family room floor watching television.   
  
Doug walked by and said, "You have nothing better to do."  
  
"No, we're tired," Kate told him not looking away from the program.   
  
"Then take a nap. You aren't turning into those kids who stay inside watching TV and playing computer games all day," he told them walking across the room to turn the TV off.  
  
"We were watching that," Tess protested.   
  
"I'm afraid I don't really care," he told her.  
  
Tess, Kate, and Meg stayed a few minutes until they realized their father wasn't going to give in. They all went up to Tess' room to talk about how much unjust Doug had been.   
  
"I feel like we should do something," Tess said she sat with her sisters in the kitchen after school the next day.   
  
"Like what?" Kate questioned not looking up from her movie magazine.  
  
"We could get a present," Meg offered.   
  
"Mom, didn't want us to buy anything," Tess told her.  
  
"You could make something," Kate suggested.   
  
"A cake," Meg yelled bouncing out of her chair to get a cookbook. She pulled a thick red one off the shelf and brought to over to her sisters.   
  
Tess and Meg flipped through the desert section until they came across a double chocolate layer cake.   
  
"That one," Meg said pointing at the picture.  
  
Tess read the directions and decided it was too hard for her.   
  
"Kate, you have to help," Tess pleaded. "I failed the cooking portion of home economics class last year."  
  
Kate remembered that event clearly because Tess' F allowed her C- in Math to be overlooked by her parents.   
  
"Fine," Kate told her putting down her magazine.   
  
"Mom and Dad will be surprised too," Meg said as she found the ingredients Kate read out of the book.   
  
Around six o'clock, Carol, Doug, and a nervous looking Andrew arrived at the Ross house. Meg proudly showed off the cake that thanks to Kate had turned out well. Carol and Meg gave Andrew a tour of the house.  
  
"This is your room," Carol told Andrew as she opened the door. The box of toys Meg had gathered was placed next to a nearly empty bookcase.  
  
"Do you want see what in the box?" Meg asked him.  
  
Andrew nodded, and Meg began to pull out and explain each toy. They soon found themselves engaged on an animal safari. They placed groups of animals in their "cages", and somehow the dinosaurs were with the sea creatures.   
  
"Meg Ross!" Carol yelled for downstairs.   
  
"When she uses your whole name, you know you're in trouble," Meg told Andrew before going to see her mother.  
  
Downstairs Carol was holding Meg's arm brace in her hand. Meg had completely forgotten to put it on before her parents came home.  
  
"Oops," Meg said when she saw her brace.  
  
"Oops, is right. Since you won't where this, we're going back to the hospital tonight to have another cast put on," Carol told her.  
  
"No," Meg begged, "I'll wear it."  
  
It was no use, and as promised Meg found herself back at the hospital.   
  
"They didn't even have any good colors," Meg complained when she showed Doug her new dark blue cast later that night.   
  
"Come here," Doug told her muting the TV and had a look at her cast.   
  
Meg sat next to him and rested her head in his lap.  
  
"It's ugly," she pouted.  
  
Doug gently rubbed the top of her head and said, "Well, you wouldn't wear the brace so you're stuck with it for awhile."  
  
"I hate it," Meg sobbed.   
  
"You knew what would happen, and I warned you again the other day," he reminded her.  
  
"It's still ugly," she told him.  
  
"This way you can't take it off unless you find the power saw," Doug teased as he tickled her.   
  
"That would work?" Meg questioned.  
  
"No, and don't try it," he told her.   
  
"Where's Andrew?" Meg asked.  
  
"Asleep," Doug answered.   
  
"What time is it?" she asked.   
  
"Way past your bedtime," he told her. "Look," he said turning toward the door. "Here is the warden to take you to your cell."  
  
Meg giggled.  
  
"Funny, Doug," Carol replied. "Is she down her trying to convince you to cut the cast off?"  
  
"No, although, I could use some practice. I'm a little rusty," he said lifting up Meg's arm and examining it.   
  
"Go get your pajamas on, and I'll come tuck you in," Carol told Meg.   
  
Meg retreated up the stairs leaving her parents alone.   
  
"How was he?" Carol asked.  
  
"Not bad," Doug responded.   
  
"That's good," she said.  
  
"Not was good as you," he whispered.  
  
Carol rolled her eyes and went upstairs to tuck in Meg.

* * *

As always thank for all the reviews. You guys rock! Sorry if the Andrew story line is coming out of left field, but I want Andrew in story early. This chapter was short as are the other two. Please keep in mind I spent over a year working on "A Week…" so the chapters are not going to be as long. Can't wait to read all your comments. It makes me smile when I read them. 


	4. Flip Flop

"Carol, would you mind getting me a cup of coffee?" Dr. Swanson asked as he looked over a patient's file.  
  
Carol stood for a minute wondering if she had correctly heard the request. After determining Dr. Swanson had indeed asked her for coffee, she told the desk clerk to phone whoever was on call because she was leaving.  
  
"For the day?" the desk clerk questioned.  
  
"No, I'm quitting after I tell Dr. Swanson what an ignorant bastard he is," Carol explained.  
  
Minutes later, Carol sat in her car. She was still filled with rage. She picked up her cell phone and dialed.  
  
"Carol, what's wrong?" Doug asked when he picked up the telephone in his office.  
  
"I quit," Carol told him.  
  
"Quit what?" he questioned.  
  
"My job," she said with irritation. Sometimes she really wondered what was going on inside of Doug's head.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Doug asked leaning back in his chair.  
  
"Because Dr. Swanson thinks I'm his personal assistant. I did not go to school to pour coffee," Carol explained.  
  
"Listen, Carol, I'm swamped today. Can we talk tonight?" he offered.  
  
"Sure," Carol said before abruptly hanging up.  
  
Later that afternoon, Kate walked up the front steps with her key in hand. Tess had to stay after school for cheerleading practice so she expected to be alone for the next few hours.  
  
"Why are you guys here?" Kate asked Meg and Andrew. They were seated on the living room floor playing a card game.  
  
"Mom picked us up early," Meg told her.  
  
"Why? Kate questioned.  
  
"I don't know, but she doesn't seem very happy. When we got home, she told me to go play with Andrew," Meg explained. "We're playing Go Fish, Want to play?" she offered.  
  
"Sure, deal me in," Kate said taking a seat on the carpet.  
  
Meg, Andrew, and Kate played cards until Tess came home. At the sound of the front door slamming, Carol came into the living room.  
  
"Tess, remember that conversation we had the other day about keeping your room clean?" Carol questioned.  
  
"Yeah," Tess replied confused on why her mother was bringing it up.  
  
"Come with me," Carol said leading Tess upstairs.  
  
"Well?" Carol demanded as they stood in Tess' room.  
  
Tess noticed she had left dirty practice clothes near the hamper and a collection of nail polish bottles scattered on the floor.  
  
"Sorry, I was in a hurry this morning," Tess explained.  
  
"Sorry, isn't going to cut it. You're grounded until next Sunday," Carol told her.  
  
"For not putting my clothes in the hamper?" Tess questioned.  
  
"For not keeping your room up to the standards of this family," Carol said.  
  
Tess thought for a moment and then replied, "Get out of my room."  
  
"This is my house," Carol shouted.  
  
Tess couldn't take it anymore. She ran out of the room and into the bathroom. She flipped the lock and fell back against the door. Something was going on here, and Tess thought she was the only one who did not know what was going on.  
  
"Where is everyone?" Doug asked Kate when he came home from work later that night and noticed the house was unusually silent.  
  
"Tess, is upstairs sulking because Mom grounded her for not cleaning her room. Mom took Meg and Andrew with her to the store.," Kate told him as she continued to work on her homework.  
  
"What's for dinner?" he questioned looking around the kitchen for any evidence.  
  
"Nothing, well, I had cereal," she said.  
  
Doug gave her a questioning look.  
  
"I thought it was odd too, but I was not about to ask after she went off on Tess," Kate replied.  
  
"Do you want me to order a pizza or something?" Doug asked.  
  
"I don't care. I'm not hungry, but I'll eat pizza," she said with a smile.  
  
"I figured," he responded. He went upstairs to talk with Tess.  
  
"Can I come in?" Doug asked as he cracked the door.  
  
"I guess," Tess replied.  
  
"What's going on? Kate told me your grounded for not cleaning your room, but it looks fine to me," Doug stated.  
  
"That is because it took me all of five minutes to clean, but psycho grounded me anyway," she explained.  
  
"I'll see what I can do about the grounding. In the mean time, what do you want for dinner?" he asked.  
  
Tess rested her head against her headboard and stared at the ceiling.  
  
"Tess?" Doug questioned.  
  
She shook her head for side to side. "I'm not hungry. I think I'm just going to go to bed.," Tess replied.  
  
"Is anything wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Not really. I'm mad, I'm tired, and I have a headache," she told him.  
  
"If you decide to stay up, I think I'm ordering pizza. Good Night," Doug said before leaving Tess' room.  
  
"Night," Tess called after he closed the door.  
  
"I hate math," Kate announced as she slammed her textbook shut. She had been trying to study while she and Doug ate their pizza.  
  
"I'm sure it isn't that bad," Doug told her.  
  
"It is bad. I'm going to fail the test tomorrow," she said.  
  
"Another piece of pizza might do the trick," he said taking a slice out of the box and offering it to Kate.  
  
"No," Kate declined, "I think I am going to go downstairs and try to finish studying."  
  
"If you need any help, I am here," Doug offered.  
  
"Thanks," she said as she gathered her notes and book.  
  
Doug found himself sitting alone in the kitchen, and he did not like the feeling. He couldn't remember a time when the house had been this silent since Carol had arrived with the twins.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Doug asked Carol that night as they sat in bed.  
  
"I was thinking about going back to school," Carol told him. Doug knew school meant Med School.  
  
"Why now?" he questioned.  
  
"If I don't do it now, I'll never do it. We have two kids to put through college at the same time," she explained. "Do you have a problem with it?  
  
"If this is what you want to do, I will support you one hundred percent," Doug said.  
  
"Thank you," she replied.  
  
"Oh, I was supposed to ask about lifting Tess' sentence," he commented.  
  
"Not going to happen," Carol responded immediately.  
  
"Will you think about it so I won't have lied to Tess?" Doug asked with his infamous smile.  
  
"Sure," she told him.  
  
"Mom, please just this once. I swear I'll never ask for anything ever again," Tess pleaded the next morning.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you're grounded. You aren't going anywhere let alone to a concert," Carol told her.  
  
Tess decided this situation was unacceptable. She knew there was only one person who could help her. She cornered Kate in the bathroom while Kate was brushing her teeth.  
  
"I need your help," Tess told her.  
  
"Step into my office," Kate said closing the bathroom door.  
  
"I have to go see Kaylee-Anne-Marie," Tess explained.  
  
"But you're grounded, and you want me to fill in for you," Kate finished her sister's thought.  
  
"Yes," Tess replied timidly.  
  
"All right here is the plan, I'll ask if I can go to the mall and then spend the night at Hannah's house. You can find a place to crash right?" Kate questioned.  
  
Tess nodded.  
  
"Ok, so we make the switch right after school. Mom takes you to the mall, and I spend the evening incarcerated in your room," Kate said.  
  
"I love you," Tess squealed.  
  
"Yeah, just don't get caught," Kate warned.  
  
Tess leaned back in the city bus seat. She could not believe she was really on her way to the Kaylee-Anne-Marie concert with her friends. She was having an even harder time believing Kate was covering for her. The plan had gone successfully with no problems. The ride from the mall was not too far, and they arrived at the venue within fifteen minutes. Everything was going just as planned.  
  
Back at home, Kate was sitting on Tess' bed cutting out pictures from her large collection of celebrity magazines. She had decided to make collages to personalize her new space.  
  
"Aren't those Kate's?" Meg questioned from the doorway.  
  
"What is it to you?" Kate demanded.  
  
"I'm going to tell mom Tess went to that concert," Meg told her.  
  
"I did not go to any concert," Kate told her.  
  
"You didn't but Tess did," Meg replied.  
  
Kate had forgotten that even if her parents could confuse one twin for the other Meg could not be fooled.  
  
"Keep your mouth shut unless you want mom to go on another rampage," Kate said going back to her magazines.  
  
Meg didn't answer but decided she would save this piece of information to use at a later date.

* * *

Thanks for being patient. I have had writers block combined with starting college. Not a good combination. I love reading reviews keep them coming, and I promise to keep with it no matter what. 


	5. Parallelograms

Parallelograms 

Kate and Tess were sitting under a tree in the backyard watching Andrew at their mother's request. She had taken Meg to swim practice earlier. Kate, Tess, and Andrew stayed outside until the sky darkened. After that, Tess began to get ready for the basketball game. She waited for Doug to come home.

"I'm going to be late," Tess said with annoyance when her father came in the house, "I don't want to be late to a game."

"No you wouldn't, and you won't be if you help Andrew put on his shoes and coat while I drag Kate out to the car," Doug told her.

Doug opened the basement door and yelled for Kate. After a few vague threats with no response, he went downstairs. Kate was sitting on her bed with her headphones on. He approached her from behind and slid the headphones of her ears.

"What?" she questioned.

"We're leaving now," he replied.

"Have fun," Kate told him.

"Nice try, but you're coming with us," Doug said.

"Fine," she mumbled as she reached for her purse and a book.

Tess already had Andrew buckled up in the backseat of the car. Doug got to the school in record time and dropped Tess off at the front entrance before finding a parking space. He was helping Andrew out of the car when he spotted the cover of Kate's book.

"Where did you get this?" Doug questioned picking up the book to examine it further.

"A bookstore," Kate replied looking her father in the eyes.

"Well, it is to stay in the car," he told her, "and I don't want to see it again."

Kate protested, but he was not going to give in. They walked into the school and made their way to the gym.

Later Kate stared blankly at center court where most of the action was. Neither team had done much in the way of points. She looked over and saw Tess and her fellow cheerleaders were working the home fans with another ridiculous crowd response cheer. Kate decided she had already reached her quota of school sprit for the year and sat patiently while all the students and parents chanted along to the cheer.

"How much longer will I be forced to endure this, Father?" Kate asked. She shifted her weight sitting on the bleachers was starting to get old.

"Until it's over," Doug told her.

"But this is boring," she complained.

Doug ignored her and continued to watch the game. Kate became even more angry when she remembered Doug had forced her to leave a perfectly good book in the car. He insisted the title was too inappropriate to bring into a school. She tried to explain that she was reading "So I Murdered My Family In Cold Blood?" for class, but he did not buy it.

She leaned backward and poked Andrew's shoulder. "Do you want to check out the snack bar?" she asked.

"Okay," Andrew replied.

"Can we have some cash for the concession stand? " Kate asked.

"I suppose just don't spend it all on candy," he warned as he handed her some money.

Kate clutched the crisp bills in one hand and Andrew's palm in the other. Once is front of the concession stand, they examined the selection.

"Anything look good to you?" Kate asked him.

"Starburst," Andrew said pointing to the brightly colored wrapper, "but I want a drink too."

"All right," Kate said approaching the window while she scanned the drinks, "We'll have a Starburst, a bag of Skittles, and fruit punch."

Kate carried their bounty allowing Andrew to navigate the stairs without spilling his drink.

"Give me some of those," Doug said snatching the bag Skittles out of Kate's hand.

"Hey," she protested, "get your own."

"They are mine," he told her.

He took a small handful and handed the bag back to a sulking Kate.

"Where is my change?" Doug questioned.

Kate smirked but handed over all the remaining money.

After the game Kate and Andrew played chuck the rock without hitting any cars, although they ended up hitting a few cars. Doug waited for Tess who came out of the girls' locker room.

"Let's get out of here hopefully Kate and Andrew haven't committed any felonies in the parking lot," he said.

"What did you think of the halftime cheer?" Tess asked as the walked to the car.

"It was…," Doug stalled he understood Meg's swimming, but cheerleading was more confusing than Kate's sense of logic, "great."

"Yeah, even though Haley thought that the left handspring was a left round off you couldn't really tell," Tess explained.

Doug nodded and was thankful that Kate ran over to interrupt.

"I'm hungry," Kate announced.

"Didn't you just have Skittles?" he questioned.

"Yeah, but Skittles are not real food," Kate commented.

"For once we are in agreement, I'll make you something when we get home," Doug told her.

At home, Kate put Andrew to bed, Tess started her homework, and Doug looked for his wife. Meg had been parked in front of the TV eating Fruit Loops out of the box when they arrived. Doug told her to take a bath and get ready for bed.

Doug found Carol facedown on their bed.

"Hey, what is going on?' he asked.

"Not much I decided to lay down before I started dinner," she told him.

"It's almost ten," Doug replied.

"Oh, I must have fallen asleep," Carol said smacking her hand against his chest.

"Are you drunk?" he questioned. He had smelled alcohol on her breath, and he now realized why she was acting out of the ordinary.

"I may have had a few when I got back," she responded.

"Well just as long it was when you got back and not when you were driving Meg around," he said as he got up to leave.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To check on the kids and make something to eat. Do you want anything?" Doug asked.

"No, I think I'm fine," Carol told him.

While Doug was tucking Meg in, Kate left her basement lair to ask her mom to sign a her progress report. She knocked on the mostly closed door of her parents room. There was no response so she opened it. To Kate's surprise her mother was sprawled out on the bed.

"Umm, Mom, are you all right?" Kate questioned.

"Fabbbbbbulous," Carol responded.

"Can you sign my progress report?" Kate asked holding the piece of paper and a pen.

"Anything for my daughter," Carol said taking the paper from Kate.

Carol signed the form and stared at it blankly. "What is this again?" she questioned.

"Progress report. You know my grades up until this point of the marking period," Kate explained.

"Ahhh yes. Well, keep up the good work, dear, but Mommy is very tired so why don't you run along," Carol told her.

Kate tried to hold a straight once she was in the hall, but she couldn't keep herself from laughing.

"What is so funny?" Doug asked as he closed Meg's door.

"She is drunk," Kate announced pointing toward her parent's bedroom.

"No, she is just tired," Doug argued.

"No, Dad, she is hammered," Kate said.

"Just keep your mouth shut about it," he instructed. "Let's go downstairs so Andrew and Meg can sleep."

Tess was working on her homework at the table.

"Can I tell Tess?" Kate asked Doug.

"Go ahead," he said waving her away. He began searching for something simple to cook.

"Tell me what?" Tess questioned.

"Mom is drunk," Kate said with a smirk.

"Seriously?" Tess asked Doug.

He nodded, and let Kate fill in all the details. Fifteen minutes later Tess, Kate, and Doug were eating their pasta and cheese sauce.

"So is that book you had early actually about killing people?" Doug questioned.

"Yes and no," Kate replied not looking up from her plate.

"I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on your answer," he said.

"It is a fictional story about a women who killed her husband and children to be with her lover," Kate told him.

"Sounds charming," Doug responded.

"Well, Mom wouldn't let me get Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure," Kate explained.

"Why can't you just read normal books?" Tess asked her sister.

"Oh, I know how stimulating those teen romance novels are, but I just can't pull myself away from those trashy classics," Kate sarcastically replied.

"Are two finished eating?" Doug asked.

They both were, and he told them to go to bed. Doug gathered the plates and put them in the dish washer. He set Tess's school book on the counter where she would see it in the morning. He still wasn't ready to deal with Carol so he flipped the TV on and caught the end of a late night drama.

* * *

Once again thanks for all the reviews. I already have parts of the next chapter writen so it should be up sooner. Keep reading and reviewing, and I will keep writing. 


	6. Dark Clouds

Meg sat on her bed looking at the kitten calendar she had pulled off her wall. She was counting and recounting the days from when she had her put into a cast. Each time she came up with four weeks being this past Wednesday. She slipped the calendar back onto the hook and quickly dressed herself. "Where is mom?" Meg asked Doug when she found him sitting in the kitchen. It was Friday morning, and Doug had been enjoying his coffee in peace. 

"She is still sleeping. Is there something I can assist you with?" he asked.

"Maybe, my cast was supposed to be taken off two days, and Mom never took me," Meg explained.

Doug thought for a moment before he realized Meg's calculation was correct. "If you can wait two more hours, I'll take you after I drop your sisters off at school," Doug told her.

"Okay," she replied sitting down at the table.

An hour later, Tess and Kate were bickering over who the sweater Tess was wearing really belonged to, and Andrew was aligning toy cars on the kitchen floor.

"Everyone ready?" Doug asked as he pulled Meg and Andrew's coats out of the closets and handing them to their owners.

"Where is mom?" Meg asked for the second time that morning.

"She isn't feeling very well this morning," Doug told her.

Kate and Tess exchanged smirks on the way out to the car.

Tess suddenly remembered she was missing her math book. She ran back inside to find it. After Tess had returned with her book, they pulled out to begin their day.

After school, Kate made her way down the street from where the bus stop. Once again, Tess needed to stay for cheerleading practice so Kate was making the trek alone.

"Mom?" Kate called through the house when she opened the door. She stopped to listen for a response. Nothing. Kate thought this was odd, but she decide since she parental until free she would take advantage of the opportunity. In her room, she pulled a pack of cigarettes out of a hollow book on her bookshelf. She flipped open the matchbook to reveal she was out of matches. She thought about just putting the cigarettes away, but she remembered there were some matches in the medicine cabinet in her parents bathroom.

Kate grabbed a cigarette and stuffed the pack back into its hiding place. She noticed the light was on in the bathroom as she walked through Doug and Carol's room. She tired to push the bathroom door open, but it only moved slightly. She peered into the bathroom and saw Carol sprawled out on the floor. Kate shoved the door so she could slip into the room.

"Mom!" Kate yelled trying to shake Carol's sunken form.

Kate froze for a moment, but she snapped out of it to remind herself she needed to call 911. She reached for the phone and dialed.

"My mom is lying here. She needs an ambulance," Kate said to the operator.

Kate tired to answer all the operator's questions. She even made an attempt to locate a pulse. She was told to gather any medications she could find. She put them in two separate bags one for the bottles from the medicine cabinet and the other for the empty ones scattered all over the room. After the longest moment of Kate's life, the ambulance arrived. Kate hung up the phone and showed the EMTs to her mother.

The next few hours were a blur. She remembered a neighbor saying she would pick up Meg and Andrew. The next thing she knew Tess was giving her a hug in the hospital waiting room. Tess did not ask her questions, and Kate reminded herself to thank Tess for that later. She sat with her head in Tess' lap waiting for someone to tell them what was going on.

Doug appeared looking extremely wary.

"Is mom going to be okay?" Tess questioned sitting up causing Kate's head to bounce against her knees.

"They had to pump her stomach and give her charcoal. When you see her, there will be black stuff all over her face," Doug explained.

"Can we go see her now?" Tess asked.

"Yeah, I'll take you," Doug told them.

Tess followed, but Kate stayed seated.

"Kate, are you coming? Doug questioned.

Kate shook her head and turned away. Doug took Tess to Carol and left when he was sure Tess was going to be all right alone.

Kate was curled up in the waiting room chair with her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Hey," he said taking a seat beside her, "Are you cold?"

Kate nodded.

"I'll see if I can find a sweatshirt or something for you. Let's go up to my office," Doug told her.

Kate stood up, and Doug wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He did not say anything is the elevator or in the hall. Once in his office Doug opened a closet door and began to search through the contents.

"Here we go," he said pulling out a sweatshirt that read Hallow-Creek Hospital Annual Golf Tournament.

Kate slipped it over her head. It was at least three sizes to large for her and nearly covered her knees.

"Do you want to go see your mom now?" he asked.

"No," she replied.

"Why not? Doug questioned.

"I saw her," Kate said in a raspy voice.

"You found her?" he asked.

She nodded and turned away to wipe her tears.

"They didn't tell me. I'm sorry you had to see her like that. You must have been terrified," Doug told her.

"Why did she do it?" Kate questioned as tears continued to pour down her checks.

"I wish I knew," he answered.

"This isn't the first time. I heard one of the doctor's say she had tried to kill herself before," Kate sobbed.

Doug didn't have a response for that. "Do you want to go home?" he asked her.

"No," she replied.

"The Millers are bringing Meg and Andrew here. I am sure they would let you stay with them," Doug told her.

"Can I stay here?" Kate asked.

"In the office?" he questioned.

She nodded.

"I suppose if that is what you want to do. I should get back down there. Call my cell if you need anything," Doug said.

Kate stood until Doug closed the door then she clasped into a chair and cried.

Kate awoke to Doug gently shaking her shoulder.

"Hey, are you holding up all right?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Kate responded still trying to wake herself up completely.

"You need to talk to the police then I want you to talk to a therapist," Doug told her.

"Do I have to do this right now?" she questioned.

"Yes, it would make things a lot easier," he explained.

"Can I at least get some caffeine?" Kate asked.

"Sure, how about a Coke?" he offered.

"Coffee," she corrected.

"When did you start drinking coffee?" Doug questioned with suspicion.

"A couple of weeks ago," Kate replied nonchalantly.

"I see what we can find," he said wrapping his arm around her shoulders to push her off the chair.

Minutes later Kate was sitting across form two uniformed officers sipping her black coffee.

"Why do I have to talk to the cops?" Kate questioned.

"They have to rule any other possibilities," Doug explained.

"Besides that she tried to kill herself," she said.

Doug nodded as two officers stepped into the small conference room.

"Did anything look unusual to you when you arrived home?" one of the officers questioned once they were seated.

Kate looked over at Doug who was in the chair next to her and replied, "No."

"There was an unlit cigarette on the floor of the master bedroom and neither of your parents smoke," the officer stated.

Kate brought the mug to her face and tired to figure a way out of this one. Doug was giving her the "we are going to be talking later" glare.

"I must have dropped it," Kate told them quietly taking care to not look at her father.

"Smoking isn't a good habit," the second officer told her.

Kate nodded but said nothing.

"Well, I believe everything is in order Dr. Ross. Someone from the station will contact you if we need any more information," the first officer said before leaving Doug and Kate alone in the conference room.

"So you drink coffee and smoke now? Doug questioned.

Kate closed her eyes. She did not want to hear a smoking lecture right now. She wanted to curl up and sleep until next week.

"Kate, I'll let this go if you promise me no more smoking," he told her.

"Okay, I won't smoke anymore," she said not really meaning it, but she wanted this conversation to end.

"All right, I want you to go speak with the therapist now," Doug instructed.

"Dad, I am really tired. Can I please do that some other time?" Kate pleaded.

He looked at her she did look tired. "Okay, I'll take you home, but I need to check on your mom first," he said.

"Where is Tess?" Kate questioned.

"She went to the Miller's house with Meg and Andrew," Doug told her.

Kate nodded and followed her father to the psychiatric ward of the hospital.

"You need to wait out here," he explained when they reached the nurses' desk.

"Why?" Kate questioned.

"Mom can't have visitors for a few days," he replied before going to speak with Carol's doctor.

Kate stood looking at the linoleum flooring. She just wanted this to all be over so everything would go back to normal.

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Thanks as always for the reviews. Keep them coming. 


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